Kristaps Porzingis Will Miss Game 5 Of Heat-Celtics With A Calf Injury

The Boston Celtics moved one win away from the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night by picking up a 102-88 win over the Miami Heat. This came despite the fact that Kristaps Porzingis left the game with a leg injury towards the end of the second quarter, and after being ruled doubtful to return, Porzingis did not take the floor again.

It’s a huge loss for Boston, as Porzingis provides three-point shooting, post-up scoring, and rim protection. And while his long-term status is unknown, the team has already ruled him out of Game 5 against Miami with a right soleus strain.

The soleus is one of the muscles that makes up a person’s calf, and Porzingis is not the first high-profile player to hurt it in recent weeks, as Giannis Antetokounmpo is dealing with a soleus strain of his own that held him out of the final three games of the regular season and has prevented him from appearing in any playoff games for Milwaukee. Assuming he does not play in Game 5 between the Bucks and the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night (he is currently listed as doubtful), Antetokounmpo will have not played in 21 days.

The Celtics are well-equipped to deal with a Porzingis absence, as the team has Al Horford and Luke Kornet as guys who have played a ton of center for them this year. Still, an extended absence would be a big problem for Boston, as Porzingis has been one of the team’s most important players during the 2023-24 campaign.